The Cop Is Too Strong [EN]: Chapter 247

< #247. The Betrayal of the Seven Stars Society >

Shin Hae-soo arrived at the hotel around the time most people were evacuating from the sky lounge.

Office workers possessed a unique, sharply honed aura. Hae-soo, sensitive to such energy, could quickly identify them.

Instead of evacuating, the office workers were busily moving around inside the hotel.

One of them encountered Hae-soo in the emergency staircase.

He paused, scrutinized Hae-soo’s face, and then spoke into his radio.

“Shin Hae-soo, rep-”

Bang! Crack!

Hae-soo grabbed his face, radio and all, with one hand and slammed him against the wall. The radio shattered, his teeth broke inside his mouth, and the back of his head slammed hard against the wall, tearing his scalp and splattering red blood across the white surface.

Hae-soo stared down at the office worker, who didn’t even groan despite his broken teeth and the blood streaming from the back of his head, then raised his fist.

Thud!

The office worker, struck squarely by Hae-soo’s rock-like fist, collapsed to the floor.

Hae-soo tore off the receiver taped to his ear, attached it to his own, and headed upwards.

* * *

Meanwhile.

Hwang Jang-soo, who had deliberately started the fire as seen on the hotel’s CCTV, was quickly apprehended by the police.

“Why did you set the fire there?”

“Because I had to, ah, seriously… I shouldn’t have listened to that guy.”

“…That guy? You have an accomplice? Who is it? Tell us who it is, and we’ll reduce your sentence as much as possible.”

Just as Hwang Jang-soo realized his mistake and covered his mouth, the office door opened, and Shin Hae-soo appeared.

“I’m that guy.”

He wasn’t alone; he also brought an office worker, holding him by the right hand.

The violent crimes detective who had been interrogating Hwang Jang-soo didn’t know what was going on, but he refrained from speaking rashly, sensing that Shin Hae-soo was a fellow officer.

Hae-soo placed a tablet on his desk and continued.

“I’m Shin Hae-soo, a police lieutenant from the Gangjin Police Station’s Special Team. There was a bomb in the Noblesse Hotel’s sky lounge. This friend is my informant and was doing what he had to do.”

“A b-bomb?”

Information he hadn’t known beforehand; Hwang Jang-soo widened his eyes and repeated the question, then turned to the detective and said.

“That’s right! I was trying to prevent a disaster! They wouldn’t believe me otherwise, so I used extreme measures.”

“Ah…”

Hae-soo showed the video on the tablet of the office worker who had been trying to retrieve the bomb, as well as the video of him being apprehended by Hae-soo.

“The bomb has been handed over to the disposal team. Check it out.”

The detective had nothing to say and awkwardly smacked his lips.

Hae-soo handed the office worker over to the detectives and took Hwang Jang-soo out.

Hwang Jang-soo looked around the police station entrance with a fresh perspective and puffed out his chest.

“Wow, it feels like I just got out of jail. The feeling of leaving a police station is always new…”

Thwack!

“Aaaaaah!”

Just then, someone jumped from the rooftop of a four-story building across from the police station. The sidewalk in front was splattered with blood.

Hae-soo immediately ran towards the scene without hesitation. Hwang Jang-soo reluctantly followed him, grumbling.

“Is he Conan [a reference to the detective manga/anime series *Detective Conan*, where the protagonist often encounters crime scenes] or something? Why are there so many incidents happening around him? Seriously.”

Checking his breathing, pulse, and even turning his eyelids inside out to check his pupils, it seemed he was already dead. But he couldn’t give up so easily. He immediately shouted at Hwang Jang-soo.

“Call 119 [the emergency telephone number in South Korea] right now.”

He had looked up when the man fell, and again now, but saw no one.

Hae-soo turned the man’s still-warm body over, placed his hands on his chest, and began chest compressions while making a call on speakerphone.

It was a direct line to the violent crimes division of the police station across the street. He had memorized the number when he went inside earlier.

“Possible suicide case at the four-story building across from the police station. Hurry, send as many people as possible.”

He hung up without waiting for a response and continued chest compressions. In less than a minute, detectives rushed out, and he naturally relieved one of them, telling Hwang Jang-soo.

“You block the back gate, don’t let anyone out.”

“Damn it, no time to rest.”

He told the other detectives to block off the building and conduct a search. However, no suspicious individuals were found.

After the search, he looked sadly at the man’s body being loaded into the ambulance.

It was a pity that he couldn’t save the man again since he had already used a reset once.

Later, Hae-soo contacted the police station to inquire about the suicide case.

The autopsy revealed no signs of foul play.

The four-story building housed a study room and a boarding house, and the man had been a long-term resident of the boarding house, a perennial exam taker.

“…Well, there was no suicide note found, but as you know, we can’t keep dwelling on these cases. We closed it as a suicide.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

Hae-soo hung up and stared blankly at the dark night sky outside the window for a while.

* * *

Although the host was different, the person in charge of the party venue was the Hajin Group.

The news that a bomb had been planted there was a secret, but all the members of the Seven Stars Society who attended knew about it.

Naturally, those who didn’t yet know the culprit turned their accusations and blame towards Chairman Ha Joo-hak of the Hajin Group.

Ha Joo-hak, who also knew nothing, simply evaded and contacted Shin Hae-soo closely. He was desperate to grasp at any straw.

Underneath an overpass, in a deserted area, two cars were parked.

Hae-soo got out of his car and got into the back seat of the car next to him.

Ha Joo-hak was seeing Shin Hae-soo in person for the first time. Ha Joo-hak, who had built a small corner store into one of the top five companies in Korea and had experienced all sorts of hardships, felt his fists clench and his body tense up as Shin Hae-soo entered and sat next to him.

He had unknowingly become nervous.

Ha Joo-hak was certain. This man was definitely Shin Hae-soo, the one Teacher Cheon had been raving about, not some substitute.

“Nice to meet you, Chairman.”

Even his voice carried a subtle sense of intimidation. Ha Joo-hak, fearing that he would reveal his nervousness if he talked for too long, immediately got to the point.

“The bomb, who planted it?”

However, Shin Hae-soo answered the question with a question.

“Who were you supposed to meet there?”

Ha Joo-hak pursed his lips. The fact that the Chief of Staff of the Blue House had come was a secret that no one outside the Seven Stars Society should ever know.

Seeing his tightly closed lips, Shin Hae-soo assumed he wouldn’t answer and spoke first.

“Teacher Cheon.”

“…!”

Ha Joo-hak looked at Hae-soo with wide eyes.

“It’s Teacher Cheon.”

“…I’ve wasted my time.”

Ha Joo-hak, his face serious, immediately kicked Hae-soo out and left the area.

He narrowed his brow and was certain.

Even he, the provider of the party venue, hadn’t seen Teacher Cheon. Furthermore, Teacher Cheon would never kill all the party attendees. It was his living legacy.

He wouldn’t do such a foolish thing, as he valued his achievements more than his life.

“Go through all the CCTV footage from that day and find Teacher Cheon.”

However, the more uneasy he felt, the more accurately he needed to confirm.

Nipping any budding suspicions in the bud would be good for both Teacher Cheon and himself.

* * *

A few days later, Ha Joo-hak’s face hardened as he listened to the report.

Upon investigation, it was confirmed that someone presumed to be Teacher Cheon was captured on camera entering and leaving the sky lounge, though from a distance.

Since he wasn’t captured on the first floor, in the elevator, or in the lobby, it was speculated that he had arrived and left by helicopter with the Chief of Staff.

The Chief of Staff had left on foot, so it was clear that Teacher Cheon had taken the helicopter.

Of course, just because Teacher Cheon had come secretly didn’t mean he was the one who planted the bomb. However, he was more likely than others.

Ha Joo-hak’s eyes flashed with anger.

He had learned from the police that the person who had been caught by Hae-soo while secretly taking the bomb away was also an office worker.

Since the plan had been thwarted by the sudden fire, he must have been trying to remove the bomb.

Everything was clear.

Ha Joo-hak called Hae-soo again.

-I’ve been waiting.

“Why, why did Teacher Cheon try to annihilate us?”

Shin Hae-soo was silent for a moment before answering calmly.

-To boil and eat all the disobedient big dogs and replace them with a new generation.

“How can I believe your words?”

-Whether you believe it or not is up to you.

The call ended.

Chairman Ha immediately summoned the Seven Stars Society to an online emergency meeting.

He needed to quickly shift the target of the criticism directed at him.

The members of the Seven Stars Society entered as if they had been waiting for Chairman Ha’s call.

Ha Joo-hak opened his mouth in front of the people who were waiting to see what he would say.

“The person who planted the bomb was Teacher Cheon.”

-Teacher Cheon?

-That’s impossible, why would Teacher Cheon do that?

-I hope you found evidence before saying such things, Chairman Ha.

-Can you handle the aftermath, Chairman Ha?

The initial reaction was cold.

However, Chairman Ha presented the CCTV footage of Teacher Cheon and the video and photos of the office worker being caught while retrieving the bomb as evidence, increasing credibility.

Eventually, the members acknowledged that Teacher Cheon had tried to annihilate them and were shocked for a while.

-Why would Teacher Cheon…

-I knew something like this would happen ever since he kidnapped and tried to kill Assemblyman Oh Seong-joo.

-Teacher Cheon, so he was trying to get rid of us all and seize a proper dictatorship.

-We can’t just sit still!

After the acknowledgment, anger followed. Naturally, Chairman Ha, whose voice had become the strongest, calmed the excited people and continued calmly.

“We can’t just sit still. We don’t know how that devilish Teacher Cheon will come out. We must move first. Before we get hurt.”

-…First?

-But where do we find him? Even the police can’t find him.

-Are you stupid? Seeing that he came with the Chief of Staff this time, it’s obvious who he’s with, isn’t it?

-What? Stupid?!

Tap tap-

Chairman Ha tapped the table lightly to focus their attention and continued.

“Chairman KD is right. All Teacher Cheon has left is physical force anyway. Doesn’t all his power come from us? So he must have planned this because he was afraid his power would weaken. If the Chief of Staff has any sense, he will hand over Teacher Cheon. First, we separate Teacher Cheon from his bodyguards, and then we judge him with law and justice.”

-Pfft, hehe… Law and justice.

-Sounds good. The law is the best.

Everyone agreed.

To them, the law was just a weapon in their hands.

Thus, the Seven Stars Society united firmly for the first time without Teacher Cheon, and strongly demanded that Chief of Staff Jeong Seung-han of the Blue House hand over Teacher Cheon.

“…I really don’t know!”

Chief of Staff Jeong Seung-han hung up the phone and looked at Teacher Cheon, who was leisurely drinking tea right in front of him.

“What on earth is this? A bomb? Annihilation? Why would you do this, without even telling me?! Has your mind gone bad from living in hiding?!”

Slurp-

Jeong Seung-han rebuked him, but Teacher Cheon’s actions remained unshaken.

That sight made Jeong Seung-han even more furious, and he frowned and stood up from his seat.

“In this case, I have no choice. Please leave now.”

Jeong Seung-han pointed to the door with his index finger. Then, Teacher Cheon put down his teacup, stood up from his seat, reached out to Jeong Seung-han, and adjusted his tie.

“Your tie is old.”

“…What?”

Jeong Seung-han frowned at the incomprehensible words.

It couldn’t be old. It was a brand-new luxury tie that his wife had brought in yesterday.

Teacher Cheon smiled bitterly and continued.

“If it’s old, you have to replace it, ties and people.”

For a moment, a hint of murderous intent seemed to flash in Teacher Cheon’s eyes. It didn’t take long to realize the meaning of those words. A shadow had already fallen behind him.

Teacher Cheon sat back down.

Jeong Seung-hwan, his face pale, reached out to him.

“Cheon-”

Stab-

Yeong, who had appeared like a ghost, covered Jeong Seung-han’s mouth with one hand and slit his throat deeply with a knife.

Sizzle-

The blood gushing from the carotid artery scattered into the air, with a few drops landing in Teacher Cheon’s tea.

Teacher Cheon didn’t care and lifted the tea, savoring the tea mixed with Jeong Seung-han’s blood.

“Hmph, Yeong, I guess we shouldn’t bother with manners anymore.”

Yeong lowered Jeong Seung-han, who was trembling with his neck half-severed, to the floor and bowed his head.

“Yes, Teacher, let’s begin.”